Fulmer could end up as a high-leverage late inning reliever, or as a reliever who can give you three innings. Both of those roles have value.

Catchers have three parts of their game to refine, whereas other position players only have two. This is why they take longer to develop. Collins has been working hard on his defense because the Sox want him to, and believe he will, stick at catcher. Since the All Star break, his hitting has improved. Prior to the break, he had virtually no protection in the lineup, and with his discerning batting eye, opposing pitchers had no reason to throw him anything other than garbage.

Several of our prospects dropped because numerous 2017 first round picks got slotted into the Top 100. And then there are other prospects who have rocketed into the Top 100 this year, like Fernando Tatis, Jr. A year from now, maybe we'll see Micker Adolfo in the Top 100. Hansen and Burger, too. And I'd expect Collins to play his way back into the Top 100.

Middle infield and LHP seem to be the biggest organizational weaknesses at this point, but that's all relative, because outfield, corner infield and RHP are exceptionally strong, and catcher is no longer the dumpster fire it was 18 months ago.

__________________The universe is the practical joke of the General at the expense of the Particular, quoth Frater Perdurabo, and laughed. The disciples nearest him wept, seeing the Universal Sorrow. Others laughed, seeing the Universal Joke. Others wept. Others laughed. Others wept because they couldn't see the Joke, and others laughed lest they should be thought not to see the Joke. But though FRATER laughed openly, he wept secretly; and really he neither laughed nor wept. Nor did he mean what he said.

The White Sox have 3 (Kopech at #12) in the top 100 before any other team has 2 (TB with #14 and #18) and TB and Atlanta get to 3 just before the Sox hit 4 with Luis Robert at #26. So, strength at the top of the list. Not surprisingly the Sox have only 8 on the list as Collins and Fulmer dropped off. Atlanta has 9.

What truly blows my mind though is the depth of the Sox prospect list. Guys like Dane Dunning #11, Jake Burger #13, and Spencer Adams #15 are listed in the second ten! And you have to get all the way down to Charlie Tilson at #20 before I see someone that I have no expectations for. And there are a couple guys after him that I do expect to see as productive major leaguers. Ridiculous depth.

I like this ranking. I think it is about right. I too am a little surprised Burger didn't crack the top 100 given his strong start but if he keeps it up I don't see how he doesn't get on the list next time around. The sample size on Burger, Sheets, and Skoug is small enough to keep them lower on the list than they may otherwise show up. My hope is that Hansen, Dunning, and Adolfo keep it up and do some serious climbing up the rankings (Dunning actually fell a spot!!! LOL).

Not sure I'd change anything on this list. Moncada should graduate off of it soon as Engel did recently. Nickey Delmonico gets a little recognition in at #30. Wonder who gets added (Yrizarri?) when Moncada graduates off of it later this year. Jordan Guerrero earned himself a nice climb back onto the list as well. One of several lefties near the bottom of the list with potential futures in Chicago. That's a good thing to see as well.

The White Sox have 3 (Kopech at #12) in the top 100 before any other team has 2 (TB with #14 and #18) and TB and Atlanta get to 3 just before the Sox hit 4 with Luis Robert at #26. So, strength at the top of the list. Not surprisingly the Sox have only 8 on the list as Collins and Fulmer dropped off. Atlanta has 9.

What truly blows my mind though is the depth of the Sox prospect list. Guys like Dane Dunning #11, Jake Burger #13, and Spencer Adams #15 are listed in the second ten! And you have to get all the way down to Charlie Tilson at #20 before I see someone that I have no expectations for. And there are a couple guys after him that I do expect to see as productive major leaguers. Ridiculous depth.

I like this ranking. I think it is about right. I too am a little surprised Burger didn't crack the top 100 given his strong start but if he keeps it up I don't see how he doesn't get on the list next time around. The sample size on Burger, Sheets, and Skoug is small enough to keep them lower on the list than they may otherwise show up. My hope is that Hansen, Dunning, and Adolfo keep it up and do some serious climbing up the rankings (Dunning actually fell a spot!!! LOL).

Not sure I'd change anything on this list. Moncada should graduate off of it soon as Engel did recently. Nickey Delmonico gets a little recognition in at #30. Wonder who gets added (Yrizarri?) when Moncada graduates off of it later this year. Jordan Guerrero earned himself a nice climb back onto the list as well. One of several lefties near the bottom of the list with potential futures in Chicago. That's a good thing to see as well.

Crazy thing about this is that we have probably two or three more years of adding top tier talent via higher draft picks and international signings (in 2 years due to Roberts). Depth will only continue to improve, and this list will look completely different next year.

If we assume that only half pan out, we can successfully assume that 4 of the "star" projects will do well, but that also means that those other highly rated yet not "stud" projects will also do well enough. From the current crop, we could see 10 or so in the majors.

This is where you need to find the rest via free agency or continued draft depth.

The most important thing to me is that the White Sox make this a philosophy. Always build a sustainable farm system, and continue to have a great mix of prospects and free agents.

Never trade the entire farm, but use it when you are on the cusp of contention and need a stud.

Keep in mind that I am not finding space for Clarkin who seems to have regained his "stuff".

I think we have an obvious logjam coming, and I expect some combination of these guys will be traded sooner rather that later. Specifically one or two of the Clarkin, Adams, Guerrero, Hansen, and Dunning types.

If we assume that only half pan out, we can successfully assume that 4 of the "star" projects will do well, but that also means that those other highly rated yet not "stud" projects will also do well enough. From the current crop, we could see 10 or so in the majors.

This is where you need to find the rest via free agency or continued draft depth.

The most important thing to me is that the White Sox make this a philosophy. Always build a sustainable farm system, and continue to have a great mix of prospects and free agents.

Never trade the entire farm, but use it when you are on the cusp of contention and need a stud.

I am an optimist so I look at the list and only see a few guys I have my doubts about but given your 50% target the results are still very impressive whether guys make it to average major league starter or All-Star potential.

If you look through the outfielders: Jiminez, Robert, Rutherford, Adolfo, Basabe, Tilson, Fisher, and Call and say that Jiminez, Robert, and Adolfo become starters with Fisher as your fourth while Rutherford, Basabe, Tilson, and Call flop then you would be very, very happy. Even if you simply go every other outfielder and say Jiminez, Rutherford, and Basabe are your starters with Fisher as your fourth you would still be very happy given it would mean Basabe reaching his potential rather than his current results. A fast switch-hitting, good fielding center fielder with power flanked by a leftie hitting left fielder with high average and perhaps some power and a right handed hitting power hitter in right with a strong arm sounds like one of the best outfields we've ever had.

Similarly with the pitchers. If you say Kopech and Lopez make it while Giolito and Cease do not and Hansen and Dunning make it while Fulmer and Burdi do not and Adams makes it while Stephens does not and Guerrero and Bummer make it while Clarkin, Martinez, and Flores do not then you are still in outstanding shape with Kopech, Lopez, Hansen, Dunning, and Adams starting and lefties Guerrero and Bummer in the bullpen filled out by players acquired elsewhere (or failed starters like Cease and Giolito and Fulmer,etc.)

The place this breaks down some is the infield where the prospect list has some very promising players but is thinner than elsewhere. But here you could look at some of the young guys already in the majors. If Burger doesn't make and you are stuck with Davidson at third that might not be all that bad if he can keep it up and the other prospects make it so that he hits lower in the order. If Moncada makes it but Sheets does not and we have to live with Jose Abreu at first a few more years then I doubt many tears will be shed. Besides the kid Sam Abbot is hitting well in Arizona so maybe he makes it and Sheets does not. And, as you say, there are at least two and probably three, more drafts with the Sox at the top of the order to fill out some infield depth, or elsewhere, as needed not to mention the eventuality of a free agent or two near the end of the rebuild.

I am an optimist so I look at the list and only see a few guys I have my doubts about but given your 50% target the results are still very impressive whether guys make it to average major league starter or All-Star potential.

If you look through the outfielders: Jiminez, Robert, Rutherford, Adolfo, Basabe, Tilson, Fisher, and Call and say that Jiminez, Robert, and Adolfo become starters with Fisher as your fourth while Rutherford, Basabe, Tilson, and Call flop then you would be very, very happy. Even if you simply go every other outfielder and say Jiminez, Rutherford, and Basabe are your starters with Fisher as your fourth you would still be very happy given it would mean Basabe reaching his potential rather than his current results. A fast switch-hitting, good fielding center fielder with power flanked by a leftie hitting left fielder with high average and perhaps some power and a right handed hitting power hitter in right with a strong arm sounds like one of the best outfields we've ever had.

Similarly with the pitchers. If you say Kopech and Lopez make it while Giolito and Cease do not and Hansen and Dunning make it while Fulmer and Burdi do not and Adams makes it while Stephens does not and Guerrero and Bummer make it while Clarkin, Martinez, and Flores do not then you are still in outstanding shape with Kopech, Lopez, Hansen, Dunning, and Adams starting and lefties Guerrero and Bummer in the bullpen filled out by players acquired elsewhere (or failed starters like Cease and Giolito and Fulmer,etc.)

The place this breaks down some is the infield where the prospect list has some very promising players but is thinner than elsewhere. But here you could look at some of the young guys already in the majors. If Burger doesn't make and you are stuck with Davidson at third that might not be all that bad if he can keep it up and the other prospects make it so that he hits lower in the order. If Moncada makes it but Sheets does not and we have to live with Jose Abreu at first a few more years then I doubt many tears will be shed. Besides the kid Sam Abbot is hitting well in Arizona so maybe he makes it and Sheets does not. And, as you say, there are at least two and probably three, more drafts with the Sox at the top of the order to fill out some infield depth, or elsewhere, as needed not to mention the eventuality of a free agent or two near the end of the rebuild.

I gotta go buy some shades.

I am pretty high on Rutherford mostly because he seems to have a great hit tool. He is lacking the power that many projected at the moment, but a high average outfielder still has some play in the major leagues.

Also, I think that the infield looks okay assuming that Anderson corrects and Moncada pans out. We have depth where we need: Pitching, Catching, and outfield. We lack depth where we have some decent players or some hopeful players: Abreu, Davidson, Anderson, and Moncada.

Using the 50% draw, we can have Anderson and Moncada never meet expectations, but we should still have some solid outfielders and catching prospects to go along with decent pitching as well.

Everything I have read about Basabe tells me he has great potential to either A. become a stud or B. play as a utility for a successful club. That's not bad to me.

Jimenez is a sure thing at this point. Nothing tells me he will flop. I feel safe with catching since we have Collins/ Skoug/ Zavala in the minors.

My only concern is that the White Sox may be missing a true "ace" for their staff in the future.

That is assuming Kopech never has a true grasp of how to control his stuff or Giolito doesn't pan out.

Rodon seems like a 3 to 5 at best. Lopez seems like a two at best and a four at worst. Kopech is a solid 2 for now with the potential to be a one. Giolito has 1 stuff but is out of the picture altogether at the moment. The rest profile as steady mid-rotation starting prospects. I would be happy to have the back end filled with Guerrero/ Adams/ Stephens/ Rodon if it comes to it. I do want that legitimate anchor.

If we will be serious about contending for the World Series, we will need him.

Granted, we have a couple more drafts to go with the possibility of drafting a stud so patience is key.

Several of our prospects dropped because numerous 2017 first round picks got slotted into the Top 100. And then there are other prospects who have rocketed into the Top 100 this year, like Fernando Tatis, Jr.

We traded the #59 MLB prospect (18 yo SS, holding his own in the Midwest League) for James ****ing Shields....breaks my heart.